


Ob Scena (But Not Obscene)

by estelendur



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-05
Updated: 2013-06-07
Packaged: 2017-12-14 00:17:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/830501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/estelendur/pseuds/estelendur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing scenes from TOS, focusing on the growing friendships between Kirk, McCoy, and Spock.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Menagerie

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to tribblemaker and izzylobo for looking it over! :)

_After the events of "The Menagerie":_

Kirk poured drinks for himself and McCoy, and settled back in his chair. "I'm still puzzling over _why_ , Bones."

"Did it occur to you that it might have been loyalty?" McCoy asked sarcastically, and took a sip.

"Of course it was loyalty, Bones," Kirk replied. "But to whom?"

McCoy shrugged. "He couldn't choose between you, so he chose both."

"That's just it, though. He didn't tell me; he kept it a secret," Kirk said intently. "He must think I don't trust him."

McCoy raised an eyebrow. "From what you said, it sounds to me like he wanted to spare you from sharing in the death penalty for the sake of his old Captain."

Kirk launched himself to his feet, saying, "He failed to consider that I might want to be spared _his_ death!" He sat back down. "I... would hate to have to find a new first officer. He's one of the best." He drained his glass and set it down.

"Sure." McCoy hmm'd skeptically. "You're still mad at him, aren't you?"

"What I want to know is how much was him," Kirk said, ignoring the question, "and how much was the Talosians? We know they reached to Starbase 11, because they made me believe that Mendez was with me the whole time. Did they put the plan into Spock's brain?"

McCoy pondered. "I couldn't say how much of the planning might have been them, but the execution was all Spock. Do you know, he turned himself over to me for arrest? As the ranking officer?"

"I'd have liked to see that." Kirk raised his glass appreciatively.

"Jim, I hardly knew what to do!"

"I'd have thought you'd be pleased to get some of your own back." Kirk chuckled.

"I don't much care for him, but... it didn't seem right."

"Sure," Kirk said, and smiled.


	2. The Conscience of the King

_After the events of “The Conscience of the King”:_

Kirk’s door chimed and he set down the PADD with a tired, frustrated sigh. “Come in,” he called out, and McCoy walked in.

“Hey, Bones. What is it?”

“I wanted to talk to you about Riley.”

“Yeah? How is he?” Kirk asked, getting up. “Want a drink?”

“Sure. He’s calmed down, sleeping in sickbay. Nurse Thompson is watching him; she’s to call me if there’s any trouble at all. Jim, I wish you’d’ve told us what’s going through that head of yours!”

“Spock figured it out eventually.” Kirk took a sip.

“Yes, and you insisted that logic wasn’t enough, that emotions were the only way to know for sure. So I ask you, how can I know what’s going on if you hide how you’re feeling behind bravado and bluster?”

“Do you think that’s what was happening, Bones?” Kirk set his glass down and leaned forward, daring.

“Yes, Jim, I do. If you had told us, me, from the start that you thought Karidian might be Kodos, we could’ve helped. But you had to keep it to yourself and bark at everyone to follow your orders with no explanation!”

“I don’t think I like where this is going, McCoy,” Kirk said.

“Of course you don’t, because you hate to be told you might be wrong!” snapped McCoy.

“I don’t…!” Kirk yelled, subsided, sat back, picked up his drink. “I hadn’t thought about Tarsus IV for years, Bones.”

“And you didn’t want to.”

“Exactly, I didn’t want to, and I shouldn’t have to. I’m the Captain.”

“You’re my friend.”

“… Yes. I suppose I am, aren’t I.” Kirk sighed.

McCoy frowned. “Do you know why I came to your quarters to talk to you?”

“Why?”

“It’s the middle of the night and you’re still awake. After an emotional shock like you must have had, I thought you might not be able to sleep, and I was right.”

“Now you’re being my doctor. Heh.”

“Someone has to be.” McCoy looked directly at Kirk. “As your doctor, I think you should sleep. As your friend, I wonder if you can.”

“I keep thinking about what he said – that I’m inhuman, a machine. I don’t believe him, but I keep remembering… Do you know what it means that I saw his face, could identify his voice? Do you know what that means, Bones?”

“No,” Bones half-whispered.

“It means that he thought I should die so that others might live. It means that I wasn’t good enough. And now, here I am, youngest Captain in Starfleet, doing good work among good people, and I still almost ended up dead because of him. … It makes a man think.”

“Just think, huh?”

“Just think. You should go to bed. I’ll be fine here.” Kirk drained his glass.

“Alright. I will. Just so long as you sleep, you hear me?”

“Yes, Doctor.” Kirk smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight.” And he left.


	3. The Galileo Seven

_After the events of ‘Galileo Seven’:_

“Dr. McCoy, this is most irregular,” Spock said, stepping into McCoy’s quarters. “Why have you called me here?”

“I thought it would be good to have a few words with you in private,” McCoy answered. “I don’t suppose you drink,” he added, pouring himself a glass of brandy.

“No. But I thank you for offering. What is it you wished to speak about?”

“You seemed puzzled that your logic had earned our resentment. I thought you might appreciate a partial explanation,” McCoy said.

“You surmise correctly. I had not anticipated such a reaction. Nor did I anticipate being called ‘heartless’ in earnest.” Spock clasped his hands behind his back. “If I hope to be an effective commander, I must know what mistakes I have made.”

“You remember when that actor, Karidian, was on the ship, and-“

“And turned out to be former Governor Kodos of Tarsus IV, yes,” Spock said. “What about him?”

“You know he was called The Executioner.”

“I do.”

“Do you know why?” McCoy asked, pointing at Spock with the hand holding the brandy. “It’s quite logical if you have a few basic facts about patterns in the human psyche.”

“I do not, and I gather that you wish to inform me.” Spock moved to stand across the desk from McCoy.

“You’re damn right I do,” McCoy said, taking the chair. “Kodos had to sacrifice 4000 lives to save 4000 other lives. Everyone agrees, even if they won’t admit to it under torture, that the cold facts dictated this. But he’s down in the history books as a monster and a tyrant. It’s very simple, Spock: he used his power as governor to decide who would live and who would die. He didn’t use random chance, or any objective measurement, just his own judgment of whose life was more valuable.”

“That course of action seems most logical to me.”

“It should; it’s the course of action you almost had to take down on Taurus II! You see, Spock, humans don’t like to believe that their life is less worthwhile than any other. When people are struck down by disease or disaster, they can blame random chance. When they’re killed in war or in the line of duty, it’s a valuable sacrifice. When they’re executed for committing a crime, they deserved the punishment. But when another human holds their life in his hands and says, “No. You do not deserve to live, and these others do,” we rage and roar and spit in their faces; we call them heartless, we call them murderers.” McCoy was standing now, gesticulating and pacing. “You spoke against the unnecessary taking of the lives of those creatures, yet you proposed to leave three good men stranded on Taurus II. In the Lieutenants’ eyes, not only were you implying that you had the right to take away any hope of a future they had, but you were acting as though the creatures’ lives were more valuable than their own. I’m a doctor, Spock; everything that I do, everything that I am, is in dedication to the cause of saving lives, but I know this: that the only thing more valuable to a man than his life is his dignity. Death by random lot is at least dignified; it’s nobody’s fault but God’s.”

Spock raised his eyebrows and nodded. “An emotional reaction I had been unaware of. You have given me much to think about, Doctor; I thank you for your assistance.”

“Oh, no you don’t. Not yet. Before you go, tell me this: if you were in that situation again, what would you do?” McCoy advanced upon Spock, trapping him between McCoy and the wall.

Spock seemed unfazed. “I would follow the same overall plan, but I would not announce potential courses of action involving the deliberate sacrifice of life until such time as it became immediately necessary. Furthermore, it has become clear to me that I cannot properly anticipate the emotional reactions of either unknown enemies or my own crew. Perhaps it would aid me if I spent more time interacting with the humans on this ship.”

McCoy grudgingly backed off. “Perhaps it would. Start by talking to Jim before Boma decides it’s necessary to complain about your words and actions.”

“Thank you, Doctor. I will do so tomorrow, if you think it will not be too late.”

“Aw, hell, why not now?” McCoy walked over to the intercom and activated it. “McCoy to Kirk.”

“Kirk here.”

“Come over to my quarters and have some brandy, why don’t you? Spock’s here, too.”

“Sure thing, Bones. I didn’t know you two were friends.” Kirk sounded amused.

“I was just givin’ him a little talking-to about what happened down on Taurus II; you oughta talk to him, too.”

“Understood. I’ll be there shortly. Kirk out.”

Spock looked at McCoy. “Do you truly believe that the Captain will be negatively influenced by the others?”

“I don’t know for sure, but Kodos tried to kill him, selected him and 4000 others personally, and that’s gotta leave a mark on a man’s heart. If he hears it from us first, we can probably talk him around into understanding instead of reacting.”

“We, Doctor?”

“Since I’m already here, I might as well give my part of the story.”

“Indeed?” Spock raised an eyebrow.

Just then the door whooshed open and Kirk strode in. “Hello, Spock, Bones. What’s going on?”

“Here, I’ll get you a glass of brandy,” McCoy said, gesturing with his still half-full one.

“Have you received any reports about the events on the surface of Taurus II?” Spock asked, crossing his arms.

“No, I don’t believe I have,” said Kirk, taking the glass McCoy handed him.

“Good,” said Spock. “Here is my preliminary report.” He sketched out the events on the surface, noting the logic behind his actions and the unanticipated reactions. Kirk paced as he listened, locking his arms behind his back when Spock described his proposed solution to the extra 500 pounds of weight, but not interrupting. “Doctor McCoy has informed me of some of my errors in judgment, most notably as regards the selection of who should have to stay behind, were we to escape using our original fuel supply,” he finished.

“Thank you for telling me, Spock,” said Kirk. “Explain to me the error.”

“If I understand correctly, it is considered unacceptable to use one’s own judgment, however objective or logical, to decree that one person’s life is forfeit in order to save another.” 

“Correct,” said Kirk. “Thank you, Bones. I’m not sure I would’ve trusted myself to give a rational explanation.”

McCoy smiled. “My explanation wasn’t exactly what you’d call… rational. I guess it was effective.”

“Let me guess,” Kirk said. “You called me here because you thought I’d overreact if someone like Lt. Boma, or even Scotty, presented Spock’s actions in a… less than sympathetic light on their report.”

“Which they almost certainly will,” said McCoy. “I was just thinking about, you know. Executioners.”

Kirk nodded. “It wouldn’t help that most of the crew doesn’t know my history.”

“May I offer my analysis, gentlemen?”

“Certainly, Spock. We can test your assessment of your command crew.”

“I do not believe that Mr. Scott, Lt. Boma, or Yeoman Mears are aware of your history. Lacking that knowledge, they might frame my actions with a large amount of anger, and an emphasis on the cold and presumptuous nature of the decision I proposed to make, as well as my apparent disrespect for their lives. You might then associate my actions and motivations with Kodos, creating a negative emotional reaction greater than that you would have had under other circumstances. I believe that is what Dr. McCoy feared.”

Kirk turned to McCoy and grinned. “Bones, I didn’t know you cared.”

McCoy rolled his eyes heavenward.

_Later:_

Spock left; Kirk didn’t follow, but asked, “Mind if I stick around for another drink?”

“Go ahead,” said McCoy, moving to grab the liquor.

“I wanted to thank you for talking to Spock.”

“I was glad to. I gotta tell you, I was just as mad as the rest of ‘em, but when I thought about it after we were safely back on board, I knew he was only acting on his own nature. His cold, logical nature.” He took a drink, punctuating the bitterness in his voice.

“Is it that you didn’t want him to get in trouble,” asked Kirk, taking the other glass, “or that you wanted to protect me from the possible emotional effects of biased reports?”

“Oh, well, a little of both, I suppose. He may be heartless, but I’m not. And I seem to recall a little nightmare last week.”

“Bones, I swore you to secrecy on that,” Kirk teased. “We can’t have the crew knowing I have weaknesses.”

“Oh, I agree, especially not that James T.; he’s ambitious and that means trouble.” McCoy raised an eyebrow and smiled. “At any rate, I can only hope that my lecture helped, and he’ll be a little less terrible at relating to his command in the future.”

“Improvement is all any of us can ask for, after all.”

“I’ll drink to that.”


End file.
